1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cassette tape recorder with an auto-reverse function and, more particularly, to a manual operating device for an auto-reverse cassette tape recorder, which permits manually reversing the tape feed direction by operating an auto-reverse mechanism with simultaneous depression of a fast forward operating member (hereinafter referred to as FF operating member) for fast feeding the tape in a tape feed direction and a rewind operating member (hereinafter referred to as REW operating member) for rewinding the tape in the opposite direction to the tape feed direction.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manual operating devices of this type are disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-25870 and Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 7-65440.
Specifically, these publications disclose structures, in which the auto-reverse mechanism is operated by a fast forward/rewind (FF/REW) locking mechanism with great rocking movement thereof caused when the FF and REW operating members are operated at a time and also when the REW operating mechanism is operated alone.
In the device shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-25870, particularly a feed direction change-over member is provided. The feed direction change-over member is pushed by both the FF and REW operating members by depressing these operating members at a time. As a result, the change-over member is moved to cause great rocking movement of the FF/REW locking mechanism, thus operating the auto-reverse mechanism.
The feed direction change-over member for manually reversing the tape feed direction, however, increases the number of parts and therefore complicates the construction.
The device shown in Japanese Patent Disclosure No. 7-65440, unlike device shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 7-25870, does not use any feed direction change-over member. In this device, when the FF and REW operating members are depressed at a time and also when the REW operating member is depressed alone, the REW operating member directly pushes the FF/REW locking mechanism to cause great rocking movement of the locking mechanism, thereby operating the auto-reverse mechanism. The FF and REW operating members both have their own engaging portions to engage with the FF/REW locking mechanism, and the engaging portion of the REW operating member can cause great rocking movement of the FF/REW locking mechanism to operate the auto-reverse mechanism. In order to prevent operation of the auto-reserve mechanism when the FF/REW locking mechanism is operated by the engaging portion of the FF operating member with the depression of the FF operating member alone, the locking mechanism is made to be vertically movable as well as being rockable, while imparting the REW operating member with a function of raising the locking mechanism when it is depressed. The auto-reverse mechanism is thus operated when and only when the FF/REW locking mechanism is rocked in its upper set position.
By depressing the REW operating member the auto-reverse mechanism is operated because the locking mechanism is raised and rocked. By depressing the FF operating member alone, however, operation of the auto-reverse mechanism does not become effective because the locking mechanism is rocked in its lower set position.
In this construction, it is possible to dispense with the feed direction change-over member as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication 7-25870. However, the construction is still complicated because the FF/REW locking mechanism should be capable of being rocked and also vertically moved.